Community collaboration: the place to start

The Evanston Community Foundation is a creature and practitioner of the fine art of collaboration. Through its central core of information, resources, and expertise, the Foundation serves as the place and process for people to collaborate and innovate across a range of interests.  

Giving as a collaborative activity.  The general endowment established in 1986 as the foundation's first fund, thanks to Evanston United Way, launched ECF with a collaborative vision at its core.  Donors pool gifts to meet large needs, and  groups of donors with common interests can meet together to define grantmaking interests, pool funds, invite new donors to join them---collaborating on their philanthropy. Our field of interest funds exemplify this type of collaboration.

Other nonprofit organizations come together through the Foundation for networking with other local organizations, workshops and training sessions. ECF provides information on topics from board development and grantsmanship to planned giving.  Some organizations work with us to set up endowments under our management.  ECF also facilitates donors' gifts for the benefit of other 501(c)3 organizations--and the community we all serve.

Institutions and corporations can benefit from the Foundation's expertise to create or extend either general or focused giving into the community.

Family foundations and other collaborative philanthropic groups work with us on local grantmaking.

Leading the community as a collaborative activity.  The programs of Leadership Evanston bring individuals together to broaden personal views of the community and to develop and hone their community leadership skills. More than 300 individuals who work and reside in Evanston have participated in various leadership development programs offered by the Foundation since 1992.